Amusement apparatus



Feb. l:12,- 1927. 1,611.1,616v

' .J. B. WATLING AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed May 26; 1923 2' Sheets-Sheet 'L J. B. WATLING AMUSEMBNT AIPARATUs Filed May 26. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb; 22, 1927. y 1 1 1,618,616 n y Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

JOH'NB. wATLrNG, or CHICAGO, ILLINors.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application sied May 26,

y"This invention relates to amusement apj paratus of the coin-controlled type but more Y particularly to fortune-telling devices in "which the operator may select any one of a :sv number of available questions' and the mechanism willk display an y:answer to the question f selected. f c e The primary object ofthe present invenyin'construction and capable or' withstandmgjhard use.

Y 1 The particular embodiment ot'lmy invenv tion which I have chosenv to illustrate the 15 principles thereof' is f incorporated in a .weigh'ing scale of well-known type andthe mechanism is 4so constructed and arranged theta-single coin lwill cause the apparatus to register the weight 'of the operator and 2'0 the answerr to his question.

'The-f many other' objectsy and advantages of myinvention will be" better understood I' by reference tothe following specification y "when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which- Y is a front elevation of a portion ofthe apparatus. p L 2 is a rear elevati'onof the apparatus Nvith wall of casing removed, showing tortune-t'elling mechanism, and V v Fig. B'is'a detail view.

Referringto the drawings, the apparatus is rsubstantially enclosed in a casing provided with an arcuate opening or windon .11. to expose the weighing scale dial 12. `vlThe coin slot is located at 13. A winden 714eXposes Ya segment of the revoluble ques tion dial 15. A similar window 16 exposes a. segment of the revoluble answer dial 17. An operating knob 18 is connected to .the outer end of arshaft 19 connected to the dial and projecting through the front of thecasing.v

The weighing mechanism is not shown in "f detail as this mechanism forms no part of the present invention. A coin inserted in .the slot 13 actuates a rock arm 2O to release i the ratchet wheel 21 controlling this mecha 'nisnr One extremity of this rock arm is ,f provided with al coin pocket 9 disposed beneath the lower end 'of the chute 22 connectedto the coin slot. The weight of the vcoin causes thepocketed Vend of this arm to swing downwardly and lift the pawl 23 '55' from the ratchet wheel. The continued downward movement of this arm permits -34 is bent laterally to overlie the lever.

1923. serial No. 641,6'07.

-tlie coin tojdrop from thevpocket into the coin chute 24.

At the bottom ot' the chute 24 is a seccnd coin pocket 25 on the extremity of a rock arm '26, pivotally mounted on the supporting frame 27 at 28. This arm 2G is noi'- mally held with the pocket in the position indicated in solid lines in Fig. 2 by the spring 29. A stop 30 projects laterally from this arm and is normally --in position to `engage a ycatch -81 on the inner end or the lever 32.l This catch isl pivotally con-- nected to the vlever at 83 and its inner end spring normally holds this end against the lever as indicated. The catch 31 pre Vents the lever from swinging downwardly when the stop 30 is in position (Fig. n

Rocking of the arm`26 in the manner de scribed releases thc stop from the catch 31'. As soon as a coin has been emptied from the pocket 25 into the coin boi; 36, the springl '29 causes the arm to return tonormal position. The upward movement ofthe lever 32 past the stop is permitted by the rocking of the catch 31 upon its pivot.

The lever 32 is pivotally kconnected to the trame 27 at 40 and a second lever 41 is connected to the inner end of the lever' 32 to form therewith substantially a bell crank. rthe 'outer extremity 42 oi this'lever'41 is bent laterally and carries at its outer end a shutter 48 to normally close the window 16 and conceal the answer dial. A guide 44 is provided :t'or the lever 41.

rIhe answer dial 17 isy mounted on the revoluble shaft 50 supported'by the iframe` 27. A sprocket wheel 51 is likewise secured, on this shaft and a drive chain 52 operatively connects this sprocket with a sprocket 53 secured on the shaft 19 carrying the operating; knob 18. l

A short lever 54 is'pivotally mounted on the frame at 5'5. One end of this lever 54 is provided with a roller 49 which operates upon the periphery of the sprocket 51 and is held in yielding engagement therewith by the spring 56. The sprocket acts as a cam and the roller as a cam follower so that rotation of the sprocket causes a rocking motion to the lever 54. An arm 57 is secured at its upper extremity to the leverV 54 and its lower extremity is connected to the lever- 41 by a link 58. The forcing of the roller 49 outwardly by 'a tooth of the sprocket causes the lever 41 to swing in aclockwise direction and to move the shutter to closed position. The catch 31 permits the outer end of the lever 32 to swing past the stop 30 but prevents the dropping of the lever past this stop when the rollerv I9 enters the next depression between the teeth on the sprocket' 51. I/Vhen the stop 30 is wi'tl'idrawn from the catch 81 by the downward movement of the arm 26 in the manner described, the lever 41 swings in a counterclockwise direction by force of gravity and moves the shutter 43 to bring the opening G0 in this shutter into registration with the opening 16 in the casing, exposing the particular answer to the question. This counterclockwise movement of the lever 41 is permitted by the slot 61 in the link 58 and the extent ofsuch movement is determined by an adjustable stop G2'secured on the iframe 27. The lever 41 is shown in solid lines (Fig. in closed shutter position, and in open shutter position in dot. The slot 61 in the link S also permits the movement of the arm 5T caused by the continuous rotation of the shaft 19 without materially moving the lever eil when this lever has been brought to closed l shutter position.

f In the present embodiment of the invention there are thirty-two teeth on the sprocket 51 connected to the answer dial and eight teeth on the sprocket 53. Therefore, the dial 15 makes four revolutions to each revo lution of the answer dial 17. There is one question on the dial 15 for each tooth or eight questions, and in the same manner thirty-two lanswers on the dial 17. It will thus be obvious that four answers are provided or each question and they are so arranged on the dial 17.

In the operation of the device, the cperator rotates the knob to the right until the question is exposed which he desires to ask.

The chain and sprocket connection has brought one of the four possible answers to this question in position at the window 16 but this answer is concealed by the shutter 43. He now drops his coin in the slot 13 and the descending coin in turn renders the weighing apparatus operative and causes the shutter tc be moved to open position, exposing the answer. The pointer ,70 of the weighing apparatus indicates the weight on the dial 12 in the usual manner.

It will be readily evident that this device is amusing and offers an inducement to the public to use the weighing scale. The construction is simple and strong' and fully capable oit' withstanding the hard usage to which such a device is subjected.

I am aware that many changes may be made in the construction and.arrangement of parts without departing' from the spirit ot my invention. and I reserve the right to make all such as fairly fall within the scope .of the following claim.

"for revolving said dial, the questions and the answers being'arranged in independent rings, a shutter adapted to normally conceal the answer in said position, and means for shifting` said shutter to expose said answer, said means being released by the insertion o1" a weight to permit shifting ci the shutter by Gravity.

a JOHN n. wartime. 

